Ultrasonic wound debrider probe and method of use

Abstract

An ultrasonic medical probe comprises an elongate shaft formed integrally with a head portion having a distal end face oriented at least partially transversely to a longitudinal axis of the shaft. The shaft is provided with an internal longitudinal channel or bore extending to the end face. The end face is formed with an indentation communicating with the channel or bore at a distal end thereof, whereby liquid is guided over an extended surface of the end face relative to the channel or bore. The head portion also has a lateral surface extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the probe. The lateral surface is provided with at least one outwardly or radially extending projection. The projection enables the application of ultrasonic cavitation energy to a tissue surface that is in contact with the lateral or side surface of the probe head.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]This invention relates to ultrasonic surgical instruments and associated methods of use. More particularly, this invention relates to high-efficiency medical treatment probes for ultrasonic surgical aspirators. These probes increase the ability to fragment and emulsify hard and soft tissue in a clinical environment while reducing unwanted heat and collateral tissue damage.[0002]Over the past 30 years, several ultrasonic tools have been invented which can be used to ablate or cut tissue in surgery. Such devices are disclosed by Wuchinich et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,223,676 and Idemoto et al in U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,102.[0003]In practice, these surgical devices include a blunt tip hollow probe that vibrates at frequencies between 20 kc and 100 kc, with amplitudes up to 300 microns or more. Such devices ablate tissue by either producing cavitation bubbles which implode and disrupt cells, tissue compression and relaxation stresses (sometimes called the jackh...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008]Another relatively specific object of the present invention is to provide an improved ultrasonic surgical instrument with a form that enhances surgical efficiency and reduces the time required to complete at least some kinds of debridement procedures.

[0043]A surgical method in accordance with another feature of the present invention utilizes a probe vibratable at at least one ultrasonic frequency, where the probe has a distal end face oriented at least partially transversely to a longitudinal axis of the shaft, a lateral surface extending substantially perpendicularly to the end face and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, and at least one outwardly or radially extending projection extending out from the lateral surface. The method comprises bringing the lateral surface together with the projection into contact with organic tissues of a patient and, during the contacting of the tissues with the lateral surface and the projection, energizing the probe to vibrate the lateral surface and the projection at the ultrasonic frequency.

Problems solved by technology

Such energy directors, when contacting skin or tissue, will increase volume of tissue treated per unit time and thereby reduce the operating time of the procedure.

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